Bhubaneswar: Odisha has moved a step closer to implementing the proposed Bhubaneswar-Kataka-Puri-Paradip City Economic Region (BKPPER) project, with the State Level Project Monitoring Committee (SLPMC) on Monday reviewing the Project Proposal Report (PPR) and discussing the roadmap for taking it forward under an Externally Aided Project (EAP).
The meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, deliberated on the proposal after the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region was selected as one of the four pilot economic regions under the first phase of the Centre’s City Economic Region (CER) scheme.
According to an official statement, the proposed project has an initial outlay of ₹5,000 crore, of which ₹3,500 crore, or 70 per cent, is proposed to be financed through a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while the remaining ₹1,500 crore, or 30 per cent, will be supported under the Central Government’s CER scheme.
The project aims to develop Bhubaneswar, Kataka, Puri and Paradip as an integrated economic region to boost investment, industrial growth, tourism, logistics, port-led industries, the knowledge economy and employment generation. The proposed economic region will cover 19 urban local bodies (ULBs) across Khordha, Kataka, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the project would be a significant step towards achieving the objectives of Odisha Vision-2036 and Vision-2047.
The proposal includes development of an integrated regional transport network, smart and climate-resilient urban infrastructure, expansion of public transport, multimodal transport hubs, housing for the working class, the proposed Bhubaneswar New City, urban redevelopment initiatives, riverfront and waterbody development, promotion of port-based industries, and establishment of knowledge and healthcare hubs.
The meeting also discussed the next steps in the approval process. Following state-level approval, the project proposal will be uploaded to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) portal under the Union Ministry of Finance for appraisal and further approval under the externally aided project mechanism.
Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Housing and Urban Development Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee, Finance Principal Secretary Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, Director of Municipal Administration Arindam Dakua, and senior officials from various departments attended the meeting.
